Baby Registry Items

Preparing for a baby is overwhelming. The amount of items that a baby needs is impressive. Before I registered, I asked my mom friends what they really used. Now I am a mom and posting this for friends who are staring at their registry options unsure where to start. I registered the last week of my first trimester and was glad I did. Once you register in the store, you can update online as needed. Most stores offer 10% off of remaining registry items, so put as much as you can on the registry. I registered at Target, Babies R Us and Pottery Barn. I received items from Target and one gift from Babies R Us.

Bath:
3-4 hooded towels
Bath products gift basket
1 packet Baby washcloths
Baby Shampoo
Baby Soap-I would not buy a giant one. Baby allergies develop at any time during the first year. Bunny developed a rash from her soap, now I am stuck with a 3/4 full bottle of baby wash.

I do not use a baby bathtub. I tried a bathseat when she was a week old (after the umbilical cord fell off) and baths were a battle. I put her in the bathtub with about an inch of water and it works well for us. If you are more comfortable with a baby bath tub, use one!

Changing:
Changing Table
Diapers of all brands (This is your chance to see what works for baby.)
Wipes of all types
Diaper pail (We use the Arm and Hammer one.)
Diaper Pail inserts at least 5 refills
Over the door diaper organizer (It saves so much space.)

Sleep:
Pack and play(I got one with a bassinet feature which was perfect for us. When Bunny got older we just took the attachment off and she can still use it, unlike an actual bassinet.)
Swing
4 sets of sheets
2-4 swaddle sacks (Great for when they can kick out of the blanket swaddle.)
3-5 sleep sacks (My mom made mine.)
Baby monitor (We chose the Angel Care System. It tracks baby movement and helped me sleep at night.)
5-8 gown nightgowns with the elastic at the bottom
4-5 footie pajamas, all sizes
5-10 receiving blankets for swaddling (my mom made mine)
Crib
Mesh bumper pads (NO CLOTH BUMPER PADS, they can cause a baby to suffocate)
Rocking chair (We use an old Lazy Boy recliner.)

Out and About:
Backseat mirror
Carseat (We got the Graco Snugride travel system.)
Carseat insert that supports baby heads
Stroller (We have two, a jogging and the one that came with the carseat. I love having two, one always stays in the trunk of my car)
Diaper bag
I bought a carseat cover, but only used it once. I prefer using recieving blankets.
Baby carrier (We have the Infantino one from Target.)
Portable changing system (My mom made mine.)

Play:
Playmat (I see these all the time on Craigslist.)
Excersaucer/walker (We have both, she likes both.)
Johnny Jump-up
Assorted toys (Pick items that crinkle, have a lot of texture or do something unexpected.)
Board books
Blanket for tummy time (We got a ton of these without registering for them).
Bumbo Seat (I got ours on Craigslist.)
Teething toys, a lot of people swear by Sophia the giraffe

Food/nursing:
Boppy (If you register for one thing, buy this. This is the most useful item regardless of what method you choose to feed your child.)
3-4 Boppy covers (My mom made extras for me.)
A million burp cloths (I got a lot of homemade ones.)
Nursing cover
Breast pump
8 bottles (We use Dr. Brown's bottles. I would get the 8 oz bottles to start to avoid clutter as Baby gets older.)
Spoons
Plastic bowls
10-20 bibs (My mother in law made mine.)
Highchair (I got the kind that clips onto a chair and love it.)
Pacifiers all kinds (They give you the Phillips green one at the hospital.)

Sick baby:
Children's Tylenol
Children's Benadryl
Thermometer (We have the temporal one and love it.)
Booger Sucker (My dog thinks it is a chew toy.)
Saline Nose Drops

Clothing:
I didn't register for any, clothing is almost everyone's favorite thing to give as gifts. Keep in mind that if a baby is born in the summer, they will not be wearing summer clothes when they are six months old unless you live in Hawaii or other hot place. I did not buy any newborn clothing. I have gotten a lot of clothing from second hand stores that looks brand new.

I would make sure you have AT LEAST
10-15 onesies in every size- long and short sleeve
A million socks
Booties (My SIL bought Bunny snap booties from Gymboree.)
Winter hat

Mommy needs gifts too:
Lanolin if breast feeding
5-6 Nursing Camisole tops (Lifesavers!!!)
4 nursing bras for day
2-6 nursing bras for night if you do not get camisole tops
Nursing pads

Keepsakes:
Frame tracking pictures birth to a year

Album (My mother in law made mine.)
Baby Calendar (I have mine above Bunny's changing table and write small milestones everyday. My mom gave me the one that I had when I was a baby.)

Misc:
Baby Detergent (We use All Free and Clear)


I'm sure I forgot some items, but this is what I use/used on a regular basis. Keep in mind, the more you get of an item, the less you have to do laundry! You will most likely not receive all these items, so keep your eyes peeled for good deals on Craigslist,at garage sales, at second hand stores etc. You are entering an exciting time and these items will help you make the transition to motherhood a little easier.

Teaching in Korea

I have a good memory. I can remember eating a cupcake on my first birthday, my class schedule for all four years of high school and the preamble of the constitution. That being said, some memories stick out more than others. One of my most vivid recollections of living in Seoul, Korea was my first day of teaching.
In Korea they do an immersion program which sticks non-English speakers into a room with an English speaker. The welcome ceremony was finished and I lead my twelve three year olds back to my carefully decorated classroom. I stepped in front of my students, smiled and said "Hello, my name is Jennifer Tr."
I was greeted with blank stares.
I tried again.
"Hello," I said, adding a wave.
One of the boys started crying.
I then passed out alphabet coloring pages. For three year olds, coloring is a universal language.
Eventually they understood me, and I them, but that moment of sheer panic I felt stays with me. It reminds me that success can be created out of panic.

Teaching in Korea was one of my proudest accomplishments until I had Bunny and it is relatively easy to obtain a teaching job in the country. To teach in Korea, you must have:
1. an undergraduate degree (it does not have to be in teaching. At our school, we had teachers with such a variety from pre-law to university studies).
2. A passport from an English speaking country
3. College transcripts (2 copies)
4. A criminal background check

I used a recruitment company to find a job in Korea before we left the states. I filled out a very long form and took an appitude test. Within twenty minutes of filling out the form, I had a call from a recruiter asking questions about me and answering questions I had about the teaching process. Within a week, I had a job lined up in Daegu (the town the Army was sending us to). Once we got to Korea, the Army changed its mind and kept us in Seoul. One call to the recruitment agency and I had a new job lined up within another week. I wish it was that easy to find jobs in the states!

There are many perks of teaching in Korea. One of the big ones, that I did not get to experience, was that the school provides housing. It is not American style housing, but it is livable and all furniture is included. Most schools give a severance package at the end of the twelve month term. It is usually one month's pay. Schools also provide a plane ticket to and from Korea. I felt teaching in Korea gave me the opportunity to experience the Korean culture in a way that other military spouses did not. It also kept me busy during Dear Sgt.'s busy TDY schedule.

Of course with any job, there are also struggles. Korean culture is very different from Western culture and there are bound to be clashes. We worked regardless of weather or political conditions, but seeing the flash of understanding in a student's eye made the struggles worth it to me.

The Korean school year starts and ends in February, but teachers are a commodity at all times.

To find a recruiter, do a simple Google search of "teaching in Korea."

I used Footprints recruiting agency to find my position. http://www.footprintsrecruiting.com/

Teaching in Korea was the best way for me to make Korea a home and not just a duty station.

Baby Footprint Valentine

As my family and Dear Sgt.'s family are both far away, I decided to make a special valentine with Bunny's help.

I stamped her feet in Versamark Watermark Ink onto cardstock. I then put Pansy Purple Close to my Heart Embossing Powder on the footprints, shaking off the excess.  I turned on my heat gun and waited for the powder to melt and bubble. (Bunny loved the sound of the heat gun).

Once my footprints were nice and glossy, I stamped LO and E.

I finished them off by gluing the cardstock to scrapbook paper and punching with a doily punch.

I am really happy with the result and hope we get smiles when they are opened!

Added bonus, the watermark ink is clear so Bunny's feet aren't stained the color of the ink!

January blahs

January has always been a blah month to me. Gone are the happy celebratory colors of Christmas replaced by winter white or blue. Gone are the buttery, cheesy, chocolately foods of Christmas replaced by diet plans and resolutions to fit into my pre-pregnency jeans. The landscape seems stark too, the magic of Christmas lights having disappeared from rooftops and trees.

This year, January also signals the beginning of the end of our time in the United States. Our hallway is filled with boxes for storage and the garage sale pile grows bigger each day filled with items that seemed like a good idea at the time. My to do list is longer than Dear Sgt.'s Christmas list and not as fun to fulfill. 

In the midst of all the chaos and bubble wrap, I feel a sense of peace that I've never felt when moving before. This is our first duty station move with a child. We are no longer at that awkward stage where we don't want to go to bars but don't quite fit in with the couples with children crowd. It is exciting to see Bunny grow each day and I know she will find Europe enchanting with all the castles and museums. I want to explore Europe as a family and have wanted to live there since my first trip to Provence in 2000. We still have a month to get as many family visits and Target runs in before boarding a plane to our new home.

So, I am trying to find the bling in the blah as I complete my tasks during nap time. It may not be December, but this January might not be so bleak after all.